In the Forest Green
by phoenixreal
Summary: WoW M/M PAIR: In the Moonglade, a pair of Druids from very different worlds meet and find commonality. Things begin to evolve in unexpected ways. They come to accept their relationship, but the rest of the world won't. Meeting in a glade outside Durotar, the night elf is captured by orcs under Hellscream's command, charging him as a spy. The Quest begins for the Tauren. Explicit!
1. Meeting in the Moonglade

Chapter One

Meeting in the Moonglade

Sometimes, love can be found in the strangest places. Sometimes, love happens between people that by virtue of where they are born, what side of a war, that never should be. Sometimes, the bindings of the heart end up be a lot stronger than the bindings of distrust and hatred. So it was that two very unlikely people found themselves in each other's hearts. It wasn't intended, of course. Neither of them set out to go against everything they knew about the other. Neither of them set out to be different than the rest of their kind. However, sometimes fate does things without permission, and so it was that there was a meeting of two very special individuals in the middle of the druid's peaceful glade.

Zanekes Skyfire had been born under an auspicious moon, or so it was said. When he was old enough, he'd shown talents in the ways of the druids. Night elves were surrounded by nature, and it seemed natural to him. He never thought he'd be anywhere else besides Teldrassil. He spent his days, growing up and playing among the boughs of the trees. He didn't remember his parents. His father had gone and fought during a war long ago, but he didn't remember which one. His mother had disappeared then as well, and no one really spoke on it. There were a lot of young Night Elves like him, parentless and roaming freely around the boughs of the world tree. Aldrassil had been his home for a long time.

Zanekes was an unusual elf, even by the standards of his own people. He was imbued with an insatiable curiosity about the world, for one. From the time he could speak, the child had asked questions of everyone about everything he could. His wild green hair was rarely tamed, and he generally leaped about any chance he got, finding his way up into the boughs of the trees faster than many of his brethren. He saw many of his fellows pair off, dreaming of families and extending the legacy of his people. He didn't care for that, after all, there was so much to see and do in the world. He wanted to leave the boughs of the world tree, he wanted to see the lands of Kalimdor, and the Eastern Kindoms, and the frosty reaches of Northrend…

He spent most of his time training, well, he called it training when he leaped and jumped through the forest, dodging night sabers and avoiding the Moonkin. He dared to get close, though. Once even, nearly touching a baby Moonkin. He'd ended up in the infirmary for a week after that, and still had the scar across his chest where the mother Moonkin had caught him. He fed the wild animals, and went to take care of the orphaned ones.

It was no surprise that he was drawn toward the path of the druid. He had no one to ask of his family, and he was on his own. He was alone, except he wasn't. He was always in the company of nature. He enjoyed the solitude, and when he found himself feeling the deeper pull of the earth around him, he went to find someone to teach him.

The training was hard, of course. He worked with Mardant Strongoak first. He was a tough, but fair trainer. First, he had to master the channeling of energy against things outside himself. But when he finally mastered channeling the natural energies around him to change forms, he felt liberated. He hit the ground running when the power of a cat's form coursed through his veins. He felt a freedom he'd never had before. He liked being able to prowl silently through the forest, blending in among the other cats nearly unnoticed.

However, it was the bear's form that made him the happiest. The bear's form made him feel more powerful than ever. He had always been a slight elf, slenderer than many of his brethren, but the bear form made him feel empowered. For the first time, he felt as though the world couldn't get to him, and he could go through anything that came his way. He wondered if the other forms would feel like this. Of course, at first, he did not know the other forms, but just the two were enough to make him realize how much he loved the ability. Channeling natural magic felt like nothing he'd ever sensed. It felt right, and it felt like it was what he was supposed to do. It was a freedom like none he'd ever experienced. He felt like he could take on the world.

Still, though, there was something that continued to bother him once he began down the drudic path. He would often wake in the night, sweating and cold, as though he were more alone than he had ever been. He would feel like there was something missing from his very soul, and he couldn't shake the feeling for days afterward. He thought that perhaps Elune spoke to him, perhaps warning him, but he wasn't sure. He'd always had dreams that he couldn't understand. He always remembered it was cold, and he was so very alone. Perhaps it was simply because he had lost his parents so long ago. He wasn't sure, but he had one desire, and that was to avoid whatever feeling that was.

He still wanted to explore and go far and wide. As he trained with the druids, he knew that he was growing closers to being able to do just that. He had a chance, and if he learned as much as he could, he would be prepared. Before his training had even come close to being done, he'd gone through every source and story teller he could find. Running all the way through Dolanaar and to Darnassus to sit at the feet of the old druids, he would learn from them. He wanted all the information he could find, and it seemed no one ever had all the answers for him. He had a voracious appetite to learn about things, and most of the older night elves would sigh and shake their head at him because he was living too fast. He didn't think so, there was so much out there, and he needed to find out more.

Then the day came that he could visit the Moonglade, and he felt more excitement than he could contain. He knew, that the Cenarion Refuge of the Moonglade, he would meet other druids, of other races. This thought alone made him happy. He hoped that while he was there he would get to meet some of the worgen and troll druids, and maybe, if he was lucky enough, he would get to speak to a Tauren. He'd always been fascinated by them, and curious why such a people that were aligned with nature, could align with the hateful horde. By the time he was going to bastion of the Druids, he was beside himself with excitement, his face lit with a light that had nothing to do with the golden glow of his eyes.

Another place, far away from the Night Elf homeland, saw another druid experience the freedom that came with learning to change his shape. Abauan Brownhoof had been born and raised on Red Cloud Mesa. He never really thought about leaving, and actually, had never thought of doing more than following in his father's footsteps and farming. However, his brother had left in the fight against Deathwing, and like so many, had not returned. He had mourned his loss, but then he wondered how he could truly honor his brother's memory. So, he had decided that he should try to find something that he was good at. His brother had been a warrior, but Abauan found that he did not do well with the sword and shield. He instead sat out an offering to the Earth Mother and asked for her to show him his path.

In his dreams that night, he viewed a verdant expanse like none he had ever seen. In the trees, he could see something moving, and he tried to reach it, for some reason, feeling like he was chasing it. The image flickered and he thought he heard laughter. He needed to catch it. He needed to get to it, and there was such urgency in the feeling he wasn't sure that he knew how to handle it. He had to reach it in time. He didn't know why; he just knew that it was more important than anything he'd ever felt in his life.

The image vanished, and he heard a voice whisper in his ear. "Ishnu-alah, dearest one…"

He sat up with a start, breathing heavily. He closed his eyes and in his mind, the forest played there. He looked and he could see someone, leaping between the branches and there was a moment of fear, then it evaporated as he took off after the figure, on wings…

He went immediately to speak with the Druid nearby. He told him of his dream, and he said he believed that the Earth Mother had shown him a glance of what his future held. And when he tried to channel the energy of nature, to his surprise, he found it flowed from his fingers easily. He worked and worked to learn the things he needed to learn. With surprise, he transformed for the first time, and felt the spirit of the cat take him over. For once, he was fast, sleek, and quick. He was amazed by how it felt to be free to leap and zip around the camps. The other forms that he would learn would never have the spirit that the sleek, fast feline had for him.

The dreams haunted him, though. Of the figure in the trees, slipping away from him as he reached for them. He couldn't get to them, and he had no idea why. No matter how fast he moved, they slipped away, and he felt like he had to find out where they had gone. Each day these dreams visited, he would train even more. He needed to find this forest in his dreams. He needed to see who this figure that he wanted to catch was, and why they called to him.

"It is through the emerald dream," the older druid said one day. "Perhaps there is another reaching out to you," he had said, smiling at him. "You will find out, my student, for today, you will see the first verdant expanse like the one you dreamed of."

Abauan would travel to the Moonglade for the first time, and meet the Cenarion elders.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Zanekes at first was disappointed, because the Moonglade…well it looked like Teldrassil. He had thought it would somehow be vastly different. And to make it even less interesting, none of the Tauren that were here wanted to talk to him. They were nice enough, of course. He could tell though they knew he was a young Druid and they had their duties. He'd met some of the worgen druids, and a couple of the troll druids, which he found both of the fascinating, of course, because they were new people to him. But still, none of them really wanted to talk to him at length either. Everyone was so busy, it seemed, and no one had the time for a young druid. Most of the powerful druids were at Mount Hyjal, and dealing with the resurgence of the Old Gods. He knew that was important, but he couldn't help with that stuff. He wanted to, but he had to train first, and get better. He did look forward to learning to fly.

He sighed, kicking a stone thoughtfully as he headed toward Lake Elune'ara. He supposed it was beautiful, and he could sense the power there, of course, but there was nothing that he hadn't found in his home. He sighed, sliding down the shore and flopping down on his back to stare at the sky as the sun moved high into the sky. It was an accomplishment, of course, to be here, only powerful people could make it here unless they were druids. Still, he was bored already and he had just come to this place.

He flopped over on his stomach, looking over the grasses, picking up a small white flower that had come off the stem and tucking it into his hair without much thought. There were several laying around, and he found himself picking up the small flowers and tucking them around his hair where it was pulled back from his face. He smirked, thinking he could be a flower princess…prince…whatever. He found himself greatly amused by this, and snickered to himself, kicking his legs as he fiddled with the flowers. It was silly, he knew, but for some reason, he liked the flowers.

"Do elves usually decorate themselves with flowers?" came a deep voice above him.

Zanekes looked up in surprise to see a Tauren standing a few feet from him. He looked like most the Tauren he'd met so far, but he was obviously younger than some of the Cenarion guards here in Moonglade. He appeared to be a younger druid like he was. He wore a set of basic leathers similar to his own, and saw he carried one of the simple staves. He had the kind of coloring that was two toned, blackish on the top fading to white at his underarms and down his face. He had one of those rings in the septum of his nose a lot of the Tauren males had, and he was clean shaven. Zanekes reached up and knocked the flowers off his head in embarrassment. What a way to make a first impression, he thought to himself, pushing himself to his feet.

"Ishu-alah," he said, bowing slightly to him. "And, ah, no, I was just bored…" he said trying to explain away the strange behavior.

When he spoke the words, something clicked in Abauan's mind for a second, but he shook it away, watching the night elf with amusement. He was built slimmer than many of the others he met, more cat like, he thought. He had green hair, which Abauan was still getting used to seeing. It was long, but half was pulled up on his head in a band. He'd tried to brush away the flowers, but there were several still peeking out of his hair in spots. He had the deep purple coloration to his skin, which Abauan knew was one of several skin tones these elves had. He was almost the same height as Abauan, though, which also surprised him. Abauan stood about seven foot and eight inches in height, and this night elf had to only be a few inches shorter than he was.

"Um, Abauan Brownhoof," he said, nodding at him.

Zanekes looked at him dumbly for a moment. "Oh, sorry, um, Zanekes Skyfire. I'm not used to meeting strangers. I mean, I met a few humans in Darnassus when I visited, and a gnome once too, but I haven't been around many other kinds of people. And the Tauren here don't seem very talkative," he said, sighing and crossing his arms over his chest, looking away toward the buildings with the not talkative Tauren.

"You wish to talk to Tauren?" Abauan asked, and he swore the night elf's already glowing eyes glowed brighter.

"Yes! I have so many questions! Like, what's it like living in plains? Do you have trees there? Or is it just barren? Do you grow up really quickly, or does it take you just as long as us? How long do you live? Do you have enclaves like these that your people have? And do you have very big families? And how do you manage to deal with the other members of the horde? And speaking of that, how do your people stand aligning with people that do so much damage to the world like the goblins? And what about what the orcs do? Do you think that's the way things should be? I heard that Thrall is a shaman and they're supposed to be like us druids when it comes to the elements…" he said and Abauan thought he actually said it all in one breath.

Abauan held up both hands. "Whoa!" he said. "I don't think I can keep up with all that at one time!"

Zanekes winced, covering his face for a second behind his hands. "I'm sorry," he said. "I just…it's so dull and boring in Teldrassil! And here! It looks just like Teldrassil. I'd hoped for something…different."

Zanekes sighed, thinking that this Abauan would surly go away now because he was acting so oddly. Of course, even by his people's standards, he was acting oddly. Most of them didn't care to ever leave the tree, let along meet and learn about others in Azeroth.

Abauan smiled though. "Well, if you ask questions a bit slower I can try to answer them." He didn't think he'd ever seen someone so excited to learn about the world.

Again, he thought his eyes were glowing a bit brighter. "Okay, I can do that!" he said, smiling, and Abauan saw the slightly feral canines that the night elves still carried.

Zanekes dropped down to sit on the grass. He patted the ground beside him excitedly. Abauan smiled, sitting down slowly and watching this strange elf. "Okay, so what do you want to know?"

Zanekes took a deep breath and Abauan thought he was going to start with a million questions again, but he stopped and seemed to be thinking. "What…why did you want to be a druid?" he said finally, tilting his head to the side and smiling at him.

"Oh, um, well, I prayed to the Earth Mother to show me a path, and I had a dream of this place," he said smiling. "I'd never seen a forest like this, so I couldn't have made it up."

"Oh, yeah, I guess that's true," Zanekes said, kneeling in the grass and plucking more of the little white flowers. Abauan saw that there were still several poking out of his hair, and his hair was sticking out in several directions where he'd tried to swipe the flowers out. "So…tell me about your home!" he said.

Abauan smiled, starting to tell him about the Mesa when he flinched, seeing that Zanekes had just thrown a flower at him. He blinked. "What are you doing?" he asked, curiously as Zanekes seemed to be narrowing his eyes to throw the flower at some particular spot.

"Shhh," he said, flicking another flower at him, hitting him right on the tip of the nose. "Ah, missed!"

Abauan started to say something but when he opened his mouth, one of the flowers landed in his mouth. He spit it out and stared at the elf. "Stay still!" he commented, concentrating, leaning forward and flicking a flower again.

"Ah! Got it!" he announced and Abauan realized he was trying to toss a flower through his nose ring. He started to say something but shook his head, and continued on with his explanation of his homeland.

Every now and then he'd feel a flower land on him, and he'd look over to see the elf trying to hide a smirk and acting like he hadn't done anything. He had to believe that this elf was built with more energy than anyone he'd ever met. After a while, they ended up going for a walk through the forest, and this time Zanekes did the telling, pointing out the flowers and herbs that he knew. Then, to Abauan's shock, he took off, running up the trunk of a tree and disappearing in a canopy.

Abauan couldn't see him, but he heard him, and a feeling of having been here before overwhelmed him completely. He was so taken aback that he nearly jumped out of his skin when the elf landed on his shoulders.

"Ah! What are you…!" he yelped, stumbling as the night elf tried to hold onto his horns and keep from sliding off his back.

"Hehe, you're a mount now!" he said with a giggle, before pushing off and flipping over him dropping to the ground in a crouch.

Abauan put his hands on his hips and looked at him for a long moment. Zanekes was sitting on the ground, laughing. "But you're an epic mount!"

"Why you…" Abauan said, reaching to grab the giggling night elf, but he slipped away, shifting into his cat. "Hey!" he announced. "I can do that too, you know!" he said, taking off after him, chasing each other back and forth through the glade.

A few times, they came running out, and almost barreled into a couple of the more powerful druids visiting. Both the younger druids skidded to a stop right in time, seeing that the two druids were definitely here to speak with Stormrage. They arched a brow at them and Zanekes stopped, swatting Abauan on the hind quarters and leaping over him. Abauan growled and took off after him, the other druids shaking their heads as they took off again.

They ended up back at the Lake sharing a meal and then going up to the Inn for the night. Both were up bright and early, Zanekes with a ton of more questions for Abauan. So began Abauan's "lessons" to the other druid. It started simply, of course. He was just telling him all the things he asked. None of it was anything someone couldn't easily find out, just things that he knew from being raised in a less insulated community than the night elves hailed from. They talked nearly nonstop the first time they were both in the Moonglade, sitting on the shores of the Elune'ara.

They would sit, and Zanekes would ask something, and Abauan would slowly go through the explanation of what it was, or what the history was. He'd never expected a night elf to want to hear about the history of the Tauren people, but he seemed utterly fascinated. He asked questions, then now and then he would tell Abauan about similar experiences he'd had.

Usually, the elf would sit on the shoreline, arms wrapped around his legs and practically thrumming with energy. He was excitable about everything, it seemed. Abauan, of course, was calmer and spent more time with everything. He thought it was an odd juxtaposition of characteristics, because he'd always heard that the longer lived races tended to be less…energetic. It seemed that Zanekes had not been told this, however, as everything new sent him into a buzz of discussion and questions. It was as though the elf had to know everything. Abauan would laze beside him, usually leaning back on his arms and letting the sun warm him. He'd slowly tell his tales, watching with amusement when Zanekes would begin to get impatient for the part of whatever he was telling he was most wanting. He practically bounced sometimes, he thought, rocking now and then where he sat. Abauan assumed that it was because, like him, the elf was young. However, when he asked about his age, he found to his surprise he'd already lived at least one of his lifetimes.

Now and then, Zanekes and Abauan would take off in their animal forms, chasing each other and jumping through the glade. A couple times, they went for a swim together, and Zanekes had laughed when Abauan refused to take off his clothes to get in the water. Zanekes, it seemed had no problem stripping down and jumping into the water. Abauan didn't know if all night elves were like this or if was just this one, but he found it unlike anything else he'd experienced, even when the blasted elf was jumping out of trees and trying to use his horns to swing. More than once he'd endured target practice of some sort. Once it was acorns, which when one popped Abauan right in the eye, Zanekes had laughed and took off in his cat form, and of course, Abauan was on his heels. Neither of them seemed to think about how odd this would seem to outsiders.

They figured out how difficult friendships between their factions were, when they were walking back to the Inn and Zanekes was excitedly talking to the quiet Abauan. They almost ran right into a group of humans, both stopping when the tension became almost palatable in the room. Zanekes saw that they were glaring at Abauan as if he were their enemy. He grabbed the Tauren by the wrist to pull him away, and their looks shifted toward him. One of the men made a disgusted face and Zanekes could see his hand was twitching at the hilt of his sword.

"This is neutral, protected ground, gentlemen," came one of the elders' voices from behind Zanekes and Abauan. "This is a safe haven for all the Cenarion Enclave no matter their race or faction," he said, putting a hand on each of the young druids. "Go on now, leave the dealings with outsiders to me," he had said, and both the druids shifted immediately into their cat forms and darted past the armored and armed humans and up the ramp to the second level.

Zanekes had shifted out, sitting on the floor looking rather angry. Abauan had shifted back to his Tauren form and sat down beside him, curious as to why he was upset.

"Why do you look so angry?" he asked, frowning at him.

"They were rude, and they didn't like you just because you're Tauren. They don't know you at all, and they just assume because the Tauren are with the Horde that you're all bad. But you're not bad! Not at all. The Tauren are good, I know they are, you reach out to nature like we do, so we're…we're not as different as they think!" he said, looking like he wanted to go back down to the lower level and tell them just that.

Abauan smiled at him, putting a hand over Zanekes' hand where it laid on his lap. "They will learn eventually, that what unites us is stronger than what divides us."

Zanekes sighed, his anger fading, and he smiled at him. "Okay, I'll try to remember that, he said, putting his other hand on top of Abauan's, and feeling a strange sensation in his stomach. They were both going back home the next day, and he didn't want to leave. They'd parted the next morning with the barest comment to each other, other than they would try to meet again the next time they were in the Moonglade.

They hadn't seen the two Druids watching them as they left the Moonglade. They sighed almost in usison.

"Do you think it is something that should continue?" asked the night elf of the Tauren.

The Tauren raised an eyebrow. "Whatever the Earth Mother and Elune willsshall occur. You know that as well as I do."

"Should we tell Malfurion of it?" the night elf said.

"He knows, you know that as well as I do," the Tauren said with a snort.

The night elf looked to the distance. "It is not common, or acceptable anywhere else except here. There will be trouble in the future."

"Of course, there will be trouble. Young ones are involved," answered the Tauren.

"Should we intervene if it goes further?" the night elf said, having been shown many things over the years in the emerald dream.

The Tauren smirked, blowing a long breath. "Ah, why would we do such a thing? Let the young ones have their world, we are old, and one day, will be no more."

"Meetings among those in the Moonglade are not uncommon," the night elf continued. "I worry that those two will not be able to have such a limitation. They are bright, full of life, and of the ilk that will try to change Azeroth."

The Tauren looked at the night elf again. "And that is what is needed, you know as well as I. Come, leave the young to their youth, we have other things to deal with these days, Hyjal yet burns, and our rest is done."

Both the druids took to the sky in their avian forms and disappeared over the mountains to return to their battles for the world of Azeroth. Yes, better to leave the world to the young ones, the ones who would begin to make a difference in the world.


	2. Not So Secret Secrets

A/N: This is a very rough draft, I'm working the story before I do editing. There are likely spelling errors, and things will change as the story develops. Sexytimes ensue in this chapter between our two boys.

Chapter Two

Not So Secret Secrets

Everyone in the Moonglade quickly became accustomed to the eventual questions they would hear.

"Is Zanekes Skyfire in the glade?" or "Is Abauan Brownhoof in the glade?"

There was always a covered smile or hidden snicker when one would come after the other. It was inevitable, they all knew. The days when one could not find the other would see a very despondent seeker sitting by the lake for at least an hour before he left. Then there were the days that they would find each other.

The sight of the two chasing each other around the lake became so normal, it seemed to be part of the Moonglade's very structure anymore. Sometimes, new druids would come across the unlikely pair, and find themselves stopping and watching in avid curiosity as the Abauan would take off lumbering after the quick Night elf before growling and trying to catch him in his cat form. Of course, Zanekes, not to be out done would shift as well and make a purring growl in his throat at his companion. Then he'd take off, teasing the Tauren. It took a long time before they finally realized that their relationship was well beyond the confines of simple friendship.

Zanekes was lying on his back and tossing flowers in the air while Abauan was sitting beside him. Zanekes rolled over on his stomach and stared at the Tauren.

"Um, do you think it's weird, the way we are?" he asked, looking up at Abauan thoughtfully.

Abauan looked at him, snorting. "I don't know what you mean, silly elf."

"I mean, the way we only see each other, you know. See, I was talking to this gnome the other day…" he said, picking a flower and tossing it at Abauan.

"A gnome?" Abauan asked, his brow wrinkling.

"Yeah, and they told me that it sounds like we're awful close, and that, you know, they thought we might…you know…be more than friends," he said, staring at the ground thoughtfully, digging a small hole with his finger as he spoke.

Abauan looked at him. "What? What's that mean?"

"Oh, forget it," Zanekes muttered, turning and sitting up with his back to Abauan and staring across the waters of the lake.

Abauan was confused. Where had this come from? He moved closer to the night elf and put a hand on his back. "What is it, Zanekes?" he asked quietly.

Zanekes turned, grabbing Abauan's hand and putting it against his face for a second and then letting go, looking away. "Just…nothing," he said, and this time he stood and shifted into his cat form and dashed away.

Abauan was having none of it, following him in his own cat form. He growled at him, but Zanekes jumped through the trees and seemed to actually to be trying to lose him. Abauan thought this was incredibly strange. They chased each other for hours out here, and he never tried to lose him, always ducking back and making sure he was following him. He wasn't going to be outdone, of course, so he managed to find his trail because he was leaving one, another oddity. He found his way down an incline where Zanekes had crouched under a tree's roots where it made a little canopy beside the lake. The dirt around the roots had at one time been washed away by the rising lake waters. He'd returned to his elf form, but he was just staring at the ground between his knees. Abauan came down and returned to his own form, sliding under the root canopy beside him.

"Zan, what is it?" he asked, reaching up and turning the elf's face toward him.

Zanekes tried to turn away, but Abauan, in this form, was the stronger of the two of them, and he just glared at him instead. He frowned and sighed. "I think…I think…I feel something for you," he muttered and Abauan let go and he turned away now.

"Feel something?" he asked, realization dawning on him about what Zanekes was saying. "Wait, you mean like _that_?"

"It's stupid, I mean, we're not even the same race, and there's so many things wrong with this feeling, but I can't make it go away. Every time I see you I'm happier than I ever have been, and then when I can't find you, I ache all over, and I hate it so much that…" he said, again descending through a litany of word salad, as Abauan called it when he rambled like this.

Abauan put a stop to his words by putting his finger against the elf's lips. He looked at him curiously. "Hush," he said, smiling. "It doesn't matter if we're different, if we feel the same things, that is all that matters, right?" he asked.

Zanekes nodded slowly. "Then that's all that matters. I feel the same way; I just did not think that you would ever feel that way in return."

Zanekes stared at him for a long time, and he leaned forward and kissed the tip of Abauan's nose gently before he put his hands against his face, running fingers down the lines of his cheeks, nose, and around his eyes curiously. Abauan didn't know what to think as he moved, throwing his leg over and sitting on Abauan's lap, facing him and staring at his face while he stroked the tip of his nose. Abauan just stared mostly, wondering exactly what Zanekes was up to. Then he just leaned forward, putting his head against Abauan's chest and wrapping both arms around him. Abauan returned the gesture, and for the rest of that day, they simply sat there, under the tree roots and listened to each other's breath and hearts as the splashing waves of the lake filtered into their ears.

The next time they were in the glade was slightly awkward, but not for very long as Zanekes pulled Abauan by the hand out of the inn toward their spot by the lakeside under the tree roots. One of the druids that they'd run into not long before, the Worgan, Juliana, smiled as she watched them. Their hands had been intertwined, so apparently, the pair had figured it out after all. Juliana sighed, wishing that she had realized the same thing before it was too late. Eliana was gone now, having died on Mount Hyjal, and she'd never get to tell her everything that resided in her heart…

After several small, somewhat confusing meetings, Zanekes had figured out, with some effort, how to deal with the physical differences between them. They'd spend their time still chasing each other, but then, they'd disappear to their spot by the lake, sitting for long periods simply sitting together. Neither of them were really used to the idea of intimacy, but Abauan was worried about it from the time things began. Zanekes wasn't another Tauren, so he honestly had no one to ask about this situation. He ached to be close to him, but fear kept him from doing more than sitting with the long limbed elf wrapped around him under the roots.

Of course, Zanekes, being who he was, was not afraid of much, and he drug him down to their secluded spot and shoved Abauan to sit down. Abauan was immediately worried because the elf had _that_ look, the one that meant trouble of some sort.

"So…" Zanekes began, smiling, his pointed canines showing more than usual. "I talked to that gnome again."

Abauan arched a brow. "The gnome. Who is this gnome and where did you find them?"

Zanekes waked his hands. "Not important, but anyway, they told me that since you aren't going to do anything, I have to do something."

"Do something?" Abauan asked, really becoming annoyed at this gnome that Zanekes was talking to.

"Yeah," Zanekes said, dropping down to his knees and smiling that wicked looking smile at him. "So the gnome told me what I could try out if I wanted to, well they told me a couple things, but first thing's first," he muttered, and before Abauan knew it, Zanekes had crawled up between his legs and had started to press against him in a way he hadn't before.

Abauan's eyes went wide and he swallowed had. "What…what are you…"

"Can I see?" Zanekes said, cutting his glowing gold eyes up at Abauan.

"S-see? See what?" the Tauren asked, knowing what he meant but not wanting to assume such a thing.

"You, dumb bull," Zanekes muttered, sliding his hand down Abauan's front slowly, pulling at the front of his pants.

"Ah, I don't…why?" he asked, still staring at him.

"Because I want to!" he said, looking up at him with those eyes and that wicked looking smile.

Abauan nodded slowly, and before he knew it, the elf had untied the front of his pants and had one hand down inside gripping him. Abauan nearly choked and put both hands hard into the dirt one either side of him.

"Oh, it is big," Zanekes muttered, pushing and pulling until he had Abuaun free of the now much tighter confines of his pants. "So, what they say about bulls is true," he muttered, fingers dancing over him, tracing every contour and vein on Abuaun's very engorged arousal.

Before Abuaun had time to say anything, Zanekes drove forward and sucked gently on the tip of him. To say the Tauren was shocked was an understatement. He'd never even heard of someone doing this before. That damn gnome, he thought to himself. If he ever got his hands on that gnome… His thought was cut short as Zanekes forced himself further down on him, and Abuaun could feel the elf's throat constricting against him.

"Oh, sweet Earth Mother help me," he muttered as he felt himself crash down, making Zanekes come up, sputtering and spitting. He looked at Abuaun and stuck his tongue out at him.

"Okay, that's weird, but you liked it!" he said, wiping his mouth and making a strange face for a second.

"That gnome told you to…" Abuaun said still panting. "Who…why…why are you talking to a gnome about doing these things?"

Zanekes tipped his head to the side. "Well, who else is going to tell me what to do with this! It's not like I know much about it, and besides, I can't talk to any of the elves at home, they would flip out if I told them I wanted to be with a Tauren, you know," he said, turning away, his cheeks darkening about.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Abuaun said, frowning at him.

Zakekes smirked again, standing up and sitting across Abuaun's lap again, sliding his hand down over his own crotch. "Well, you know, I want to do the other thing, like other people," he said, reaching his other hand down and starting to stroke Abuaun again, and to his surprise, he started to harden again in his hand.

"I excite you," Zanekes said proudly, reaching down and undoing his own pants, pulling himself free.

Abuaun glanced down at Zanekes who was now holding himself and Abuaun in his hand, stroking both of them together. There honestly wasn't too much difference in their sizes to Abuaun's surprise. Zanekes was panting audibly now as he looked up and locked eyes on Abuaun. He smiled at his look of surprise.

"What, you think Tauren are the only males well equipped," he muttered. "I'm not a little delicate human," he grumbled.

Abuaun smiled, reaching his hand between them and pushing the elf's hand away. Zanekes reached up and put his hands on Abuaun's shoulders as he watched as Abuaun's larger hands encircled both of them easily. He felt like he was on fire from his toes to his head and he was sure that he wasn't going to last much longer at the rate he was going. Abuaun watched Zanekes's face carefully as he felt him get closer and closer to cresting. He was fascinated because he didn't think the elf could look like that. His face was deeper in color than he'd ever seen, and the coloring of his eyes seemed even darker than before. His body was in constant motion, and Abuaun felt his fingers digging into the thick muscles around his shoulders and neck. His mouth hung somewhat slack as he moved, and then he threw his head backward with a look somewhere between pain and pleasure as he fell over the edge. The sight alone brought Abuaun over the edge as well.

Zanekes fell forward into him, and Abuaun clutched him to his chest, feeling his heart beating hard against him. They sat there for a long time, coming down together, and Abuaun wondered what else this blasted elf had in his head that that gnome told him. Zanekes sat back, glancing down between them and smirked.

"Well, now you can't refuse to go naked into the lake with me, we're messy," he muttered, wiggling on Abuaun's lap a bit.

He hated to admit it, but that was certain, so he nodded at the elf. "Fine," he said with a sigh.

Zanekes was up and stripping his clothes before Abuaun could even stand up. He smiled, completely naked now and gestured for him to come with him. Abuaun shook his head, and looked to see the splash and Zanekes poke his seal form head out of the water at him before diving down. Abuaun grinned. So it was that game, was it, he thought, discarding his own clothes and morphing into his own swimming form and ducking under the water.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

A few more intimate interludes occurred before the next time that Zanekes had a new idea from his gnomish friend. And this time, Abuaun was sure he was going to throttle this gnome, whoever they were. Abuaun was just getting used to their exploration of each other, both fascinated by the reactions of the other. He wasn't sure what else Zanekes had in mind when he practically drug Abuaun to their secret spot, and before he could say anything, Zanekes had pushed him down to sit in the covered spot. He was already blushing hard, his cheeks deeply colored. Abuaun knew he was in for trouble.

"So, the gnome gave me something," he said, looking at Abuaun with that wicked grin splitting his face.

"Ah, what this time?" Abuaun asked, watching as Zanekes stripped every stitch of clothing off himself and then proceeded to undo Abuaun's pants again.

Abuaun was sure that this elf was insatiable, because every single time, he acted like they'd never touch each other again. Before he knew it, he was kneeling between his legs and working on awaking Abuaun's arousal and going at a feverish pace. Abuaun wasn't sure what was going on today but he buried both hands in Zanekes's green hair and pushed him down further, feeling Zanekes grip his thighs hard as Abuaun crested with a grunt, thrusting hard up into his throat. Abuaun had found that his elf hated to be treated like he was going to break, and the rougher he got with him, the more excited he got. He'd been so scared of hurting him at first, but he found that the elf was definitely not delicate in the least.

When Abuaun let go of his head he came up, panting to catch his breath with a grin. "Almost passed out that time," he panted. "Wish I didn't have to breathe," he muttered then immediately started stroking at Abuaun again.

"What are you doing?" Abuaun asked, shocked at how urgent Zanekes was going. "I just…what…oh, goddess…" he moaned as his arousal returned full force again.

"I needed you to go off once, before this, so you don't go off too soon," he muttered, standing up, his own arousal leaking and he grinning at him. "I want to take my time."

Abuaun frowned and looked at the elf wondering just what he was talking about. He watched as Zanekes reached down into his clothes and fished something out of a pocket, a jar of some sort, and reached inside it, scooping what looked like some sort of oil or something. He then moved over and began stroking whatever it was on Abuaun's hardness.

"What is that?" he asked, surprised, but noticing that it felt kind of nice where he was stroking him with that stuff.

"Well, the gnome said it would help things go better," he said, stepping back and nodding at Abuaun. He looked nervous and Abuaun had no idea what he was going to do. "So, I'm going do this," he said, almost to himself, and then he moved to sit over Abuaun's lap like he often did.

This time, though, instead of stroking them together, Zanekes reached down and shifted his hips forward, moving over Abuaun just slightly. Too late, Abuaun realized what he was doing because every bit of blood he had left in his face rushed south, and he felt Zanekes guide him inside his body. Abuaun's shock didn't last long because he had never felt anything so amazing in his life. Zanekes slid down slowly, his arms wrapped around Abuaun's neck and fingers digging into his shoulders harder than ever before. He felt him rest on his legs again, fully seated now. He felt him squeezing him hard and panting in his ear.

"Oh, that…that's a lot more painful than I expected…" he said leaning back a bit and Abuaun saw his pained expression.

"Zan, if it hurts, stop," Abuaun said, reaching up and putting both hands on his face.

Zanekes shook his head. "No, no, just…wait a minute," he said, swallowing hard and rolling his hips a bit. "The…the gnome said…it hurts at first…but the stuff should help…but goddess you're big…"

Abuaun groaned as he felt Zanekes's body shudder and felt the fluttering sensation as he moved upward a little and then all the way down to his root. It seemed like a long time, but then Zanekess began to move on him, sliding back and forth on him. Abuaun felt his eyes cross and he realized how glad he was that Zan had gotten him to crest earlier. Abuaun reached down and grabbed him, stroking him as he moved on him. It was slow at first, but then, like anything the elf did, his body began to react and he started moving faster. Then, he moved at a different angle and he let a strangled cry out suddenly.

"Zan, what happened?" he asked, worried that he'd hurt him no matter how much the elf claimed he wasn't a "damn delicate flower".

"Oh that felt amazing…" he panted, angling to make whatever that was again. He whimpered and shook his head. "Oh, can't last, can't…wait…" he muttered and he threw his head back like he always did when he crested, and Abuaun nearly yelped as he felt Zanekes's body clamp down on him and the muscles fluttered and constricted as he did. Abuaun followed him, clutching him to his chest and cresting harder and longer than he'd ever before even with Zanekes's oral stimulation.

A minute passed as they remained there for, panting breaths on each other. Zanekes leaned back and nuzzled into Abuaun's neck, gently biting and sucking at him. He moved off of Abuaun and the Tauren pulled him into him as tightly as he could, stroking his back and nuzzling in return. Unlike most, druids seemed to have a very animalistic way of loving another. It was no surprise that their time together would reflect that in many ways.

"Are you okay?" Abuaun asked quietly, pushing him back and looking into his face.

"Hmm, yes, wonderful, hurts a bit, but oh goddess that felt so good," he muttered, licking at Abuaun's ear mischievously. "You think you want to try that in cat form?" he muttered against his neck.

"You realize that cats…um…" Abuaun said, remembering specifically why that would be a completely different experience.

Zanekes leaned back, that wicked grin on his face again. "Yeah, I know, barbs, but I bet it hurts wonderfully," he muttered, leaning in and nuzzling him again and nearly purring in his throat.

"What is wrong with you?" Abuaun said, smirking as he ran his hands over his back. "You like pain or something?"

"Hmm, I just want you to love me in every way there is, Abu," he muttered, kissing his neck lightly. "I like the feelings, the mix of pain with the pleasure, a lot, and I want it more," he muttered and yawned suddenly. "But I'm tired, let's go back to the inn," he said, leaning back and smiling at him.

Despite what the two young lovers thought, there weren't many people in the Moonglade that didn't know about the two of them. Those that didn't would be given a muttered explanation from someone that did, assuming they were another druid. Non druids wouldn't understand, for one, but also it wasn't the first time something of the like had happened in the Moonglade. So they gave the two their space, and no one ever seemed to go looking for them when they'd snuck away to the lake. It was with some amusement that the older druids would shake their heads when the pair would zip through, chasing one another through the buildings and out into the woods again. No one seemed to think anything much about it. It wasn't like the two of them could ever be together outside the Moonglade, so what was the harm?

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Ashara was fascinating to Zanekes, and he'd heard that there were lost artifacts, tomes, and all sorts of elven history there. Abuaun told him to stay away from it because it was so close to Durotar. Abuaun worried incessantly that the elf was going to get himself in trouble. When he found out he was going to Ashara despite Abuaun's misgivings, he had gone with him. They had to be careful, of course. They couldn't be seen together by Horde or Alliance, else one or the other of them, or both, would be in great danger. So, as Zanekes zipped through the trees ahead, Abuaun ambled along the path in his bear form, watching for trouble.

They made it to the area without incident and Abuaun was relieved. They hadn't even seen one orc patrol. He was worried, though. They'd been too lucky so far. He tried to convince Zanekes after their second day there that they should leave and go back to the Moonglade. Zanekes, though, wanted to learn more, convinced that he could find something incredibly if he just stuck with it. They, of course, spent their nights entertaining each other, which Abuaun and Zanekes both enjoyed, but the Tauren was worried.

A week had passed and Abuaun left to find some berries for their meal that morning. After he had gathered several bunches of some of the sweet ones that Zanekes favored, he heard something that froze his heart. He dropped the berries and took off in his cheetah form, zipping through the trees in time to skid to a stop just outside the clearing they were staying in.

It was an orc patrol. If they found Zanekes… He looked around for the elf but didn't see him. He either had run or he was hiding in the forest. He hid himself among the trees as well and watched. One of the orcs kicked at the bedding they had piled together, mostly leaves and moss to lay on. Another leaned down and checked to see how long the fire had been out. Abuaun's heart was beating in his ears so loud he was sure that the orcs would hear it. He heard one yell at another in Orcish, then there was an answering call from beyond the camp they'd been using.

Then, his heart sank, because the other orc that hadn't been seen was coming back and dragging Zanekes by the arm, stumbling into the camp. He shoved him down to his knees and pressed his sword into his back.

"Little lost elf, huh?" the first orc said. "Why are you here?"

Zanekes didn't say anything at first, but the one behind him slammed the hilt of his sword into the back of his head, knocking him prone. He reached down and yanked him back up. "Answer him," the one behind his growled.

"Research," Zanekes said, eyes scanning the area around him. Abuaun knew he was looking for him. "Looking for artifacts, elven tomes," he said, looking up at the patrol leader.

The orc pulled his dagger and put it under Zanekes's chin, and Abuaun saw blood dripping down from where he pierced his skin. "I don't believe you, I think you are a worthless Alliance spy," he said.

"I'm not, I'm a member of the Cenarion…" he started then the orc pulled his fist back and punched the elf across the face hard, and if the other orc hadn't been holding him up, he would have fallen over.

"No, you are a spy, and we will get the truth out of you, and when we do, you'll be executed like the filthy Alliance scum you are," the orc growled at him.

Abuaun wanted to go to him, he wanted to fight, but there were three…four…he saw another one coming into the area. And if they realized that Abuaun and Zanekes had been here together…they were both dead. The orcs wouldn't care if they were supposed to be allies with the Tauren. They would kill them both, or worse. And if they found out that Abuaun and Zanekes were lovers… His heart was beating out of his chest because he knew they could break him. They would break him, and he would tell them, and then they would torture and kill him for being with a Tauren. No one could withstand what they would put him through to get the "truth" they wanted out of him.

Abuaun watched in horror as they drug him toward their mounts, stumbling and bleeding already. Zanekes glanced back and locked eyes on the barely visible cat's eyes that flickered in the brush. He smiled at him, touching his lips for a second with two of his fingers before he was jerked forward toward the riding wolf. Abuaun watched them disappear out of the woods, and he dashed after them, trying to keep with them, hoping that they'd stop, and somehow, he could snatch Zanekes away from them. The didn't stop, they just rode on into Durotar, and the Tauren stopped, staring into the distance, his heart breaking into a million pieces.


End file.
